Electric switch



(No Model.)

H. T. CLARK. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

110.451,26?. PatentedApr.28,1891.

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ATTORNEX UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE,A

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersatent No. 451,267, dated April 28, 1891.

Application filed February 5, l89l Serial No. 380,308.' (No model.)

To all whom t may concern/z Beit known that I, HORACE T. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, resid ingat Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relatesrrto certain novel and useful improvements in electric switches of that class commonly known as snap-switches, and has for its object to providea device of this description which shall be simple and economical in its construction, in which both the make and break movements ofy the circuit-closer shall be spring-actuated, and in which the operating spring or springs shall at all times have a positive connection with and exert a constant pressure against the circuitcloser; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements, as hereinafter set forth and particularly as recited in the clauses of claim annexed to this specification.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully undei-stand its construction and method of operation, I will describe it in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the numerals marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a double-pole switch with the cover and hand-hold removed; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section showing the switch closed; Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the switch as open; and Fig. et, a modification of the construction shown in the preceding gures, the position of certain of the parts being reversed.

The base 1, upon which the several parts of the switch are mounted, is of porcelain, wood, or other non-conducting material. Upon this base are secured terminals 2, which may be of any desired construction and arrangement.

3 is a housing, (shown in plan View in Fig. 1 and in section in Figs. 2 and 3,) said hous ing having feet 4, by which it is secured to the base.

. 5 is a circuit-closer, which I show in the form of albaigwhich passes through the housing just referred to, and is guided therein by means of projections 6, which bear against the edges of the vertical portion of the housing. This bar is open at its center, as shown at Fig. 1, and for the ,purpose of a doublepole switch bears uponitsends suitable contact-making brushes vorother connectors 7, adapted to engage with the terminals 2.

8 is a reciprocating operating-handle bear inga knob or other handhold 9. Said handle is suitably guided in the top of the housing and also in the base. j

10 is a cross-bar secured to and moving with the operatinghandle- 11 are levers whose ends are preferably split and embrace Vthe ends of the cross-bar.

12 are links pivotally attached to the circuit-closing bar 5 eitherby means of pins 13 or in other convenient mannerand connected to the ends of the levers 11. The levers and links just referred to form a toggle-lever or elbow-lever connection between the crosspiece and the bar.

14 is a spring adapted to exert a constant outward pressure upon the levers 11. For

convenience and economy I prefer to make this spring from a piece of highly-resilient wire, whose central portion is seated in the handle and whose ends, after passing over the ends of the cross-piece 10, turn downward and inward and have bearings in recesses 15, formed in the levers 11 for their accommodation. At the same time any other form of spring competent to produce the same or substantially the same pressure upon said levers is equally within the scope of my invention.

18 is any suitable inclosing cover.

The movement of the circuit-closing bar in both directions is accomplished by the longitudinal operation of the handle. To open the circuit, which is shown as closed at Fig. 2, the handle is pressed downwardly. This movement of said handle carries the cross bar, the spring, and the levers 11 downward with it, and until the pivotal connection or elbow-joint between the parts 11 and 12 passes the center line a of the circuit-closing bar said movement results only in compressing the levers inward toward the handle against ICO the power of the spring. When, however, said joint between the parts 11 and 12 has passed the center line a of the circuit-closer, the outward pressure of the springs through the levers and links will raise the circuit-closing bar to the position shown at Fig. 3, thereby lifting the contacts or brushes out of engagement with the terminals. To reverse the position of the switch, the handle is operated in the other direction, whereby, after the joint between the parts 11 and 12 has passed the central line of the circuit-closing bar, the latter will be thrown to the position shown at Fig. 2--that is, into engagement with the terminals.

The movement of the bar both to open and close the circuit is a quick spring-actuated movement and its speed is entirely independent of the rapidity of movement of the handle. Vhen the circuit is closed, as shown at Fig. 2, the pressure of the springs constantly tends to press the contacts into close engagement with the terminals.

In FigA 4 I have shown a modified construction, in which I cut out the center of the base, as seen at 16, and insert therein a slotted guide 17 or other similar support. I also fasten the cross-bar upon the lower end of the handle and arrange the levers 1l to eX- tend upwardly instead of downwardly therefrom. This arrangement of parts results in economy of space; but it is obvious that its method of operation is in no way different from that of the preceding figures.

In connection with this application I desire to refer to a certain pending application for similar subject-matter iiled by me the 26th day of January, 1891, and bearing Serial No. 37 9,002.

I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction herein shown and described, since this may be varied in many particulars without departing from the essentials of my invention, which I deem commensurate with the terms of the claims here following, and to include equally either single or double pole switches.

I claim- 1. The combination, with the movable bar and the movable handle, of a pair of elbowlevers connected one end to the bar and the other to the handle and having their joint free between the bar and handle, and a spring engaging one member of the pair and adapted to exert a constant force tending to extend said levers toward a straight line, substant-ially as specified.

2. The combination, with the circuit-closing bar, of the reciprocating handle,two pairs of toggle-levers interposed between said bar and handle, and a spring interposed between the two pairs of toggle-levers and adapted to exert a constant pressure thereon, substantially as described.

3. In an electric switch, the combination, with suitable terminals and the movable circuit-closing bar, of the longitudinally-movable handle, the cross-piece carried by said handle, two pairs of toggle-jointed levers interposed between the cross-piece and the bar, and a spring engaging and adapted to act constantly on the toggle-levers, substantially as described.

4. In an electric switch, the combination, with the base and terminals, of the guided and vertically-sliding circuit-closing bar, a longitudinallynnovable handle arranged in ways and passing freely through said bar, togglelevers pivotally secured both to the handle and to the bar, and a spring engaging and adapted to operate upon said levers, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electric switch, the combination, with the circuit-closing bar and the reciprocatinghandle, of the cross-piece 10, the togglejointed levers between said cross-piece and the bar, and the spring extending across the top of the cross-piece and having itsends engaging one member of each pair of togglelevers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE T. CLARK.

lVitnesses:

SHERMAN HARTWELL HUBBARD, M. C. IIINCHCLIFFE. 

